This charcoal grilled chicken breast comes juicy on the inside with real charred, smoky flavor on the outside, and it only needs one basic marinade base to get there. Once the marinade’s done, the grilling itself is quick and simple.
I make this any time I’m grilling for a picnic, a backyard hangout, or a family get-together.
The marinade base is easy to switch up, Indian, Middle Eastern, Brazilian, or simple like I did here, and the grilling stays exactly the same either way.
With marination included, this charcoal grilled chicken breast takes about 6 hours and 25 minutes start to finish.
If you are looking for a delicious, tender chicken, then of course you have to wait for up to the ideal marination time.
About Charcoal Grilled Chicken Breast
This is a straightforward marinated chicken breast finished over charcoal, nothing fancy needed. It works just as well for a quick weekend BBQ as it does for a bigger family get-together.
I always bring this one along for outings and picnics because it holds up well once it’s grilled.
It’s one of my favorite recipes when I’m cooking for a group and want something everyone can enjoy.
If you adopt this recipe as your go to recipe, you can make it easily in the air fryer, oven, charcoal grill, and stove top, too, in very little time if earlier marinated.
You just need to cook and slice the pieces, and garnish a little bit with your favorite seasoning. Cream garnishing also works great.
Ingredient for Charcoal Grilled Chicken
- Chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast works best here since it grills fast and takes on the marinade well.
- Yogurt: A small amount of yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it juicy once it hits the grill.
- Ginger garlic paste: This is the base flavor of the marinade, and you can build other spice profiles around it if you want a different style.
- Butter: Brushing on melted butter while grilling helps build those char marks and locks in the smoky flavor.
How to Make Charcoal Grilled Chicken Breast
This one needs some patience for the marinade, but the actual grilling part moves fast.
1. Prepare the chicken: Wash the chicken breast and pierce it gently with the help of a fork, pat it dry, and set it aside.
2. Make the marinade: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Mix well.
3. Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken to the marinade and coat it evenly. Transfer to a zip-top bag or cover the bowl, then refrigerate for 6 hours for the best flavor.
4. Preheat the grill: Heat a charcoal grill over medium-high heat until the coals are covered with white ash.
5. Grill the chicken: Lightly oil the grill grate and place the chicken on the grill. Cook for 5–7 minutes per side, flipping only once. Brush with melted butter while grilling to create juicy chicken and beautiful char marks.
6. Check for doneness: Continue grilling until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and the juices run clear.
7. Rest the chicken: Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve it hot with your favorite sides.
Expert Tips
- Marinate the full time: Six hours lets the yogurt and spices tenderize the chicken all the way through, not just the outside.
- Wait for white ash: Charcoal covered in white ash burns at a steady medium heat, so the chicken cooks evenly instead of burning on the outside.
- Flip only once: Flipping just one time keeps the char marks intact and stops the chicken from drying out on the grill.
- Brush with butter as you go: Adding melted butter while grilling helps build a deeper char and keeps the surface from drying out.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Slice it first so it reheats faster and more evenly.
To reheat, warm it gently in a pan with a small splash of water, or use the microwave in short bursts. This keeps the chicken from drying out.
Put in the air fryer basket and set tempreture at 350°F (180°C) and reheat for 3 minutes.
What to Serve With Grilled Chicken Breast
- BBQ Mashed Eggplant
- Mint Yogurt Chutney
- Air Fryer Tomato Chutney
- Smoky Charcoal Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato French Fries
Charcoal Grilled Chicken Breast (Juicy & Smoky Marinade)
Ingredients
- 1 lb 500g skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- Melted butter (for brushing)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon curd
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Wash the chicken breast and pierce gently with the help of a fork, pat it dry, and set it aside.
- Make the marinade: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Mix well.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken to the marinade and coat it evenly. Transfer to a zip-top bag or cover the bowl, then refrigerate for 6 hours for the best flavor.
- Preheat the grill: Heat a charcoal grill over medium-high heat until the coals are covered with white ash.
- Grill the chicken: Lightly oil the grill grate and place the chicken on the grill. Cook for 5–7 minutes per side, flipping only once. Brush with melted butter while grilling to create juicy chicken and beautiful char marks.
- Check for doneness: Continue grilling until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and the juices run clear.
- Rest the chicken: Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve: Slice the grilled chicken and serve it hot with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Marinate the full 6 hours for the most tender texture.
- Wait until the charcoal turns white ash before grilling for steady heat.
- Flip the chicken only once to keep the char marks clean.
- Check for 165°F (75°C) internal temperature to know it’s done.
Nutrition
Give this charcoal grilled chicken breast a try at your next backyard cookout, and let me know how your marinade twist turns out in the comments.
